Laho, as I know it, refers to the scrotum, but another term used is ʻeke laho (or ʻete laho, if you are talking to someone from Niʻihau). ʻEke is a bag. Makes sense, huh? Scrotum bag. The word for testicle is hua, same as the word for ovum. Hua can refer to egg, seed, or fruit. These are the “technical” words for that part of the anatomy.

In cattle ranching, when a bull becomes a steer, they ʻoki (cut) the laho, which means that the ʻeke laho is cut and the hua is removed. He is now laho ʻole, without his laho. In one swift move of the knife a bull becomes a steer. Once the wound heals, the ʻeke, though not as big as before, is still an ʻeke. It is a bit confusing even though I have been there, I have seen it, heck I have actually done it (and quite enthusiastically, I might add!). And I have eaten it (nothing like mountain oysters on the hibachi, I tell you, with a bit of Hawaiian salt on it).

Think there are any ʻōlelo noʻeau about laho? Heck yeah! Here you go, all you laho enthusiasts:

Kū ka ule, heʻe ka laho – The penis stands, the scrotum sags (this expression is not meant to be vulgar. When the ule or pōule appears–that is, the breadfruit blossom–it is the sign of the fruiting season. The young breadfruit first appears upright, and as the fruit grows larger its stem bends so that it hangs downward.)

Check it out in this photo.

lahokole

n. Raw scrotum (an insulting reference to poverty).

lahopaka

n. Crinkled scrotum (implication that there has been excessive drinking of kava).

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2015 – Liana Iaea Honda. All rights reserved. All versions of He Momi e Lei ai”, in its entirety, past and present, is the property of L. K. I. Honda. Reproduction and use of any kind other than the sharing of this website is prohibited. Alteration to the original content in any form is prohibited in every and any instance, and use in any other variant is prohibited without written consent of the author. Adress inquiries to: hemomi [at] gmail.com. Definitions and wise sayings are from: Hawaiian Dictionary by Pukui and Elbert, 1986. ʻŌlelo Noʻeau – Hawaiian Proberbs & Poetical Sayings by Mary Kawena Pukui, 1983.